Paperboard box



Oct. 11, 1966 PAIGE 3,278,108

PAPERBOARD BOX Filed Jan. 19. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. i RICHARD E. P4/GE Oct. 11, 1966 R. E. PAIGE 3,278,108

PAPERBOARD BOX Filed Jan. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. RICA 4RD E. PA/ci' United States Patent 3,278,108 PAPERBOARD BOX Richard E. Paige, New York, N.Y., assignor to The Paige Company Containers, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 521,714 Claims. (Cl. 22937) This invention is directed to a construction for a double walled box formed from a single blank of foldable sheet material such as solid or corrugated paperboard.

There has been a need for many years for an economical box which can be shipped in a flat form :and readily erected by the user. The box must be strong and sturdy during its use, re-usable many times, and yet readily collapsible for storage or shipment. For example, in a factory a tote box is used to carry parts from place to place. They must sometimes bear the weight of heavy loads. Since the number of such boxes in use varies, they must be stored. It is desirable that such boxes be constructed so that they may be collapsed for storage or shipment and re-erected when needed.

It is an objective of this invention to provide a onepiece construction for a double walled box which one man may easily erect and easily collapse and which is strong and yet economical.

In accordance with the objectives of the present invention, I have provided a blank formed from a single piece of corrugated or solid paperboard. The blank has a plurality of upper panels joined by fold lines, an equal number of intermediate joining panels, and an equal number of bottom panels joined by fold lines. The upper panels form the walls of the inner box, the intermediate panels form the bottom of the box, and the bottom panels form the walls of the outer box. At least one set of panels, and preferably all three sets, are sides of a truncated pyramid; that is, their fold lines and sides are taken along lines which, if extended, would meet a finite point. The blank is erectable to form a double walled box construction whose joined panels forming the inner shell easily fit within those forming the outer shell.

Due to the layout of the blank in the form of a truncated pyramid, the inner and outer shells are tapered. This permits the outer shell to accommodate the thickness of the walls of inner shell in so precise a manner that squeezing and crushing are eliminated. The inner shell telescopes with the outer shell so that, when the user wishes to pull out the inner box to collapse the structure for storage, there is little or no resistance to such collapsing.

Other objectives will be apparent from the description set forth below of a preferred embodiment of my invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing the blank pattern of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The angular relationships of the blanks are exaggerated in the drawings for clarity in the description.

FIGURES 2-6 show the erection of the preferred embodiment of the box utilizing the blank of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the blank of FIGURE 1 as preassembled and folded flat for shipment.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the first step in erection of the box and indicating the pyramidal shape of the box sections.

FIGURE 4 is .a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the box after its erection.

In my Patent 2,577,588, granted December 4, 1951, I disclose a construction of an open top double walled box which is preassembled at a box factory and shipped in flat form to the user who then erects the box without the need of glue or fasteners. The blank for this box is made from a single blank of material and comprises a rectangle with the outer panels of the eventual box positioned along one edge and the inner panels positioned along the opposite edge. In the central portion of the blank, joining these groups of panels, are panels which form the bottom of the box. The blank is folded so that the extreme end edges of the outer panels are joined at the box factory by suitable means such as an overlying flap or tape. The user receives the blank in its flat and joined form and erects the box by opening the folded and joined blank into a rectangular tube. He then telescopes the upper portion of the tube (the inner shell), which comprises the inner panels, downwardly into the outer shell, which is defined by the outer panels, at the lower portion of the tube. This causes the central panels to fold over and form a double walled box with a double bottom. It is possible to squeeze the inner box into the outer box because even though the Walls are upright, as opposed to tapered walls of my present invention, the corrugated board of which the box is made is about air, having only of an inch of actual paper in said corrugated board. The inner box is constricted at the corners and the air crushed out so that the outer box can be forced over the inner box as a tight fit.

The purposes for which the box of Patent 2,577,588 were intended did not encompass its reuse. The principle intended use was the storage of out-of-date office and legal records and the box was used with the one set of contents for many many years. The need for pulling this tightly wedged box apart was rare.

In my Patent 2,843,308 I disclose an improvement of this box in which the bottom is caused to interlock by means of openings cut into certain of the panels forming the bottom. The box of my Patent 2,843,308 served the same function as to the box of my Patent 2,577,588, except that the bottom was stronger due to the extension into the sides of the bottom panels. A box full of paper weighs about sixty pounds, and if the bottom is not strong, it will collapse.

In both of my prior patents, those panels forming must grasp the hand holds of the outer shell with the bottom facing his chest while another man reaches into the open top and grasps the hand holds of the inner shell. They must then pull strongly in opposition until the tight wedging of the box sections is overcome and the shells pulled apart.

A carton of the present improved character is formed of a single blank of foldable sheet material such as corrugated solid paperboard, which is scored and cut as indicated in FIGURE 1. Substantially parallel to the top long edge 2 is a series of transverse score lines 3. These lines, in conjunction with the longitudinal score lines 4a, 4b and 4c, define a series of four substantially rectangular sections or panels 5, 6, 7 and 8. The panels 5 and 7 are equal in size to each other. The panels 6 and 8 are also equal in size to each other, but may be more narrow than the panels 5 and 7. The panel 6 has an opening 9 to form a hand hold, and the 3 panel 8 is provided with the similar opening 10. These panels 5, 6, 7 and 8 are at the top of the blank and form the four sides of an inner tubular shell.

A series of transverse score lines 12 are parallel to the bottom edge 11 of the blank. Score lines 12, in conjunction with longitudinal score lines 13a, 13b and 130, define a second series of panels 14, 15, 16 and 17. The longitudinal score lines 4a and 13a lie along common imaginary line 40a. Similarly, lines 4b and 13b lie along line 40b and lines 4c and 130 lie along line 40c. The panels 14 and 16 are wider than the panels and 7, and the panels and 17 are wider than 6 and 8. The panel 15 has an opening 18 and the panel 17 has a similar opening 19. These panels 14-17 form the four sides of the outer tubular shell. The shell formed from the inner panels 5-8 is capable of fitting within the shell formed from the outer panels 14-17.

Between the score lines 3 and 12 the blank is cut and scored to define a series of adjacent foldable connecting strips which comprise the floor or bottom of the erected carton. One connecting strip or portion consists of the sections 20 and 21 which are hinged along the center fold line 22. The sections 20 and 21 are trapezoidal in shape, the long base of the trapezoid 20 coinciding with the long bottom edge of the panel 5, and the long base of the trapezoid 21 coinciding with the long bottom edge of the panel 11. A similar set of sections 23 and 24 are formed between the panels 7 and 16, the sections 23 and 24 being hinged along the center fold line 25.

The connecting strip between the panels 6 and 15 is substantially rectangular and consists of the sections 26 and 27 which are hinged centrally at 28. A similar strip, consisting of the sections 29 and 30 hinged centrally together at 31, is positioned between the panels 10 and 17. Recesses 34a and 34b, cut into the fold lines 28 and '31, respectively, perform the function of interlocking the various panels 20, 21 and 23, 24 with panels 26, 27 and 29, 30 to form the bottom, as will be described below.

The dimensions of the various panels and of the final box depends upon the use for which the box is intended. In one embodiment, the box is 12 inches wide, 15 inches deep and 10 inches high. Due to the precise measurements made possible by the truncated pyramid shape of the blank and the definite thickness of the corrugated (which ranges from A; of an inch for B flute, to /1 of an inch for A flute) the box can be so closely planned that the inner Walls of the box may slide with ease into the outer walls of the box without crushing. The collapsing of the box for reuse may easily be done by one person instead of two as with the previous forms of my box.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, the panels 5-8 are rendered smaller than panels 14-17 by laying out the blank with its fold lines 4a, 4b and 4c and 13a, 13b and 13c along lines 40a, 40b, 40c. The lines 40a40e meet at a distant finite vanishing point (not shown). The blank is laid out as an arcuate segment with an extremely long radius. In a common size of the erected box, namely, one about a cubic foot in volume, the vanishing point or radius is fixed at 125 feet distant. This slight taper is greatly exaggerated in the drawing of FIGURE 1, and the other figures, for clarity. It is this slight taper which allows the inner panels 5-8 to be smaller than panels 14-17. The convergence of the lines 4a-4e and 13a-13e shown, again exaggerated, in FIGURE 3, showing the box when opened, but before it is fully erected.

After the blank has been scored and cut in the factory, as indicated in FIGURE 1, it is folded upon itself along the lines 12, and is then folded transversely along the lines 4a-4c and 13a-13c. The hinged attachment flap 32 (on the end of panel 17) is brought into overlapping engagement With the free edge of the panel 14. This flap is then secured to this free edge by gluing, stapling, etc., and the resultant structure assumes the flattened condition shown in FIGURE 2. A similar flap may be used to fasten the free edges of the inner shell, if a stronger carton is desired. This completes the manufacturing procedure, which is relatively simple and inexpensive. In its flat condition shown in FIGURE 2, the carton may be stacked with others, packaged, readily transported, and stored.

The process of setting up the box by the user is illustrated in FIGURES 2-6. The first step is to open the assembled blank into the position shown in FIGURE 3, in which each shell assumes a tubular configuration having a rectangular cross section. The outer shell consists of the panels 14-17, its lower edge being defined by the lines 12. The inner shell consists of the panels 5-8, its lower edge being defined by the lines 3. Connecting these edges are the strips which, in FIGURES 2 and 3, lie adjacent to the respective panels which they unite.

The final step is setting up the structure as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 and consists in telescoping the inner shell into the outer shell. During this movement, each trapezoidal strip 20 and 21 and 23 and 24 doubles inwardly upon itself. The rectangular strips of sections 26-27 and 29-30 slide into positions between the folded halves of the adjacent trapezoidal strips and are overlapped. Ultimately, the four folded trapezoidal strips lie in the interengaged relation shown in FIGURE 6. In this position the sections connecting the outer and inner shells form the floor in the container and provide the floor-with a double layer of corrugated board.

The cut-out recesses 34a and 34b along fold lines 28 and 31 accommodate the edges 33 of the inwardly folding panel sections 20, 21, 23 and 24, as is shown in FIGURE 4. These panel sections thus interlock with panel sections 26, 27, 29 and 30 to form an interlocked double bottom.

Upon completion of the setting-up operation there will be a registry of the openings 9 and 18 in one of the sides of the carton, and a corresponding registry of the openings 10 and 19 in the opposite sides. Each pair of registering openings affords a hand grip with which the carton may be grasped for lifting of transporting.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the outer shell tapers outwardly and the inner shell tapers inwardly. There is no tight contact between the shells until the inner shell is telescoped wholly within the outer shell. Thus the carton is easy to erect and disassemble.

In the embodiment described above, the blanks result in sutficient clearance between the unitary inner and outer shells to permit erection and knock-down of the boxes without the etfort required to force identically sized box sections to telescope. The resultant ease of assembly and disassembly permits the boxes to be repeatedly set up without strain on the cardboard. The easy collapsing of the box makes possible new uses for the box. For example as a factory tote box for transporting small parts from one department to another, and storing them. After the parts are removed from the box, the boxes are pulled flat and in a comparatively small package shipped back for another load of parts.

Although a box having four sides has been described, it is obvious that the invention has application to any polygonal box of four or more sides, such as rectangular, square, hexagonal and octagonal boxes.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible carton, nested inner and outer tubular shells each of which comprises adjacent panels with longitudinal hinge connections, said shells being axially movable into a telescoped overlying relationship in which the telescoped shells define a set of double Walled carton sides, and a series of foldable panels transversely hingedly connected between the adjacent end edges of said shells, said foldable panels being adapted to interlock in a common transverse plane to define the floor of the carton when said shells are telescoped, said longitudinal hinge connections of the outer shell having axes lying on converging lines which if extended would meet in a finite vanishing point below the floor of the carton, whereby the upper edge of said outer shell defines an interior perimeter of said inner shell.

2. The collapsible carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal hinge connections of the inner shell have axes lying along converging lines which meet in a finite vanishing point above the upper edge of the carton.

3. A single piece blank of paperboard for a double walled carton comprising a plurality of inner shell panels lying along one edge of the blank and defined by longitudinal score lines, a plurality of outer shell panels lying along the opposite edge of the blank and defined by longitudinal score lines, and a plurality of separated bottom forming panels extending between said inner and outer shell panels and defined therefrom by transverse score lines, said longitudinal score lines of said inner panels converging toward a finite vanishing point lying beyond said one edge of the blank.

4. The single piece blank of paperboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein said longitudinal score lines of said outer shell panels lie along lines converi-ng toward a finite vanishing point lying beyond said one edge of the blank.

5. The blank as claimed in claim 4, wherein said longitudinal score lines of said inner and outer shell panels lie along common lines converging toward a finite vanishing point lying beyond the top edge of said blank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 904,674 11/ 1908 Bieswir-th. 2,577,588 12/ 1951 Paige 229-14 2,819,008 1/1958 White 'et al 22923 2,843,308 7/ 1958 Paige 22937 3,107,042 10/ 1963 Keith 229--41 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE CARTON, NESTED INNER AND OUTER TUBULAR SHELLS EACH OF WHICH COMPRISES ADJACENT PANELS WITH LONGITUDINAL HINGE CONNECTIONS, SAID SHELLS BEING AXIALLY MOVABLE INTO A TELESCOPED OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH THE TELESCOPED SHELLS DEFINE A SET OF DOUBLE WALLED CARTON SIDES, AND A SERIES OF FOLDABLE PANELS TRANSVERSELY HINGEDLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE ADJACENT END EDGES OF SAID SHELLS, SAID FOLDABLE PANELS BEING ADAPTED TO INTERLOCK IN A COMMON TRANSVERSE PLANE TO DEFINE THE FLOOR OF THE CARTON WHEN SAID SHELLS ARE TELESCOPED, SAID LONGITUDINAL HINGE CONNECTIONS OF THE OUTER SHELL HAVING AXES LYING ON CONVERGING LINES WHICH IF EXTENDED WOULD MEET IN A FINITE VANISHING POINT BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE CARTON, WHEREBY THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID OUTER SHELL DEFINES AN INTERIOR PERIMETER OF SAID INNER SHELL. 